I wanted to describe how my brand came to be. In developing you can find it in the inner veins of your life!
This is a long explanation so if you want the short answer... scroll to the bottom! I was in my teens (1974) when gifted a deck of cards and a book called medicine cards. I have always had an affinity for Native American Indians and their spirituality. It is an area that I haven’t studied deeply but simply resonate to strongly. I have had visions of a life as an Indian woman with very strong detail.
At the time, I did not do readings but loved the book, the deck and still own it and was clearly drawn to Hummingbird as my totem. I was raised by atheists. My mother did introduce me to Christianity when I was young and I learned the Lord’s Prayer and loved Jesus and summer bible school. But, one day she sat me down and told me that the Bible wasn’t real and how could God create the world in seven days? I was devastated... first Santa Claus and now God.
At one time, I had a resentment about this but now I do not. In a sense, I was given a clean slate to explore spirituality and world religions.
I believe that her experience was that some Churches took advantage of people and that television had hooked them into sending their life savings so in her defense she wasn’t evil just disenchanted with religious establishments. I would experience Christ’s love and embrace Christianity later in my life so it is a part of my life destiny. Along with exploring Native American shamanism, I started reading Hermann Hesse. I read Siddhartha at age fourteen was touched profoundly. I began to also form a fascination for Nepal and Buddhism. In my early teens, I would journal and I suppose now it would be called “automatic writing” . One day I wrote something like.... “From scarlet rays the sunlit skies, I remember where the Dharma lies. “ Dharma? What is a Dharma? I am pondering. Perhaps it is a mystical lion. Back then, no Google we had to look things up in an Encyclopedia. It would be years later in my late twenties that I would study Tibetan Buddhism under Lama Ole Nydahl and become baptized for lack of a better term. I remember having to chant with my mala beads (similar to a rosary) 10,000 times as was the initiation.
The interesting part was that Lama Ole wasn’t Tibetan but danish. Tibetan Buddhism has four sects and this one was Kagyu. When I was initiated I was honoring the three “Jewels” of Buddhism also known as the Triple Gems of Buddhism, namely: I take refuge in the Buddha I take refuge in the Dharma (teachings) I take refuge in the Sangha (brotherhood)
After initiation one is given their Tibetan name. Lama Ole deemed me Karma Khandro which translates to Princess of the Jewels. Now fast forward to 1999 and this new thing called “yahoo” email came to be. I’m wanting to create an email... hummingbird (my totem) and jewel (part of my Tibetan name translated minus the S) and hence Hummingbird-Jewel was born. For the next decade I would use Hummingbird Jewel as my social media name. In 2016, Hummingbird Jewel Enterprises was formed. In developing my business card and logo i hired a man who loves playing poker. He didn’t know Jewel was associated with the “three jewels of Buddhism”.
I wrote out the way I wanted the H & J and was clear about a gold Hummingbird. He came back with a few ideas .. no, no, no then the bird with the diamond ♦️yes. Being a poker player that was his interpretation. I loved it!
Ironically, a year later, looked up Lama Ole to see if he was still teaching. I had left the practice years ago but the beautiful compassion of Buddhism was left forever in my heart. As I pulled up his website I smiled... I had completely forgotten that the name of his organizational teachings was called get
this “The Diamond Way”! ♦️ I love the synchronization of life and how we weave the threads of our experiences into a colorful tapestry woven with our hearts and our wisdom! If you need help developing and creating your brand let me know. It’s in your story! For those who wanted the short answer: Hummingbird - Native American totem animal Jewel - shortened version of my translated Tibetan name.
"Miracles do happen and we should expect them" I AM loving this day and what simply is....